Going Under
by eNiGmA86
Summary: what will you do when someone you love very deeply leave you stranded alone in darkness? Pairings: SanzoxGokuOC, HomuraxGoku, a lil' bit of GojyoxHakkai. Chapter 8 coming up!
1. Default Chapter

GOING UNDER  
  
Disclaimer: I really hate to admit this thing {pulled out a sheet of tissue paper and blow my nose} but.I have to tell the truth.I'm just a new writer.and Saiyuki is definitely not mine even for another 500 year.{will I ever live that long?}.It belongs to Minekura-sensei forever.unless she intended to sell it to me.{eyes glinting with gleaming hopes and dreams}  
  
~ What will you do when you realized that the only one who can make you  
stop crying was the one who make you cry? ~  
  
At Konran Tower:  
  
"Homura-sama, we had captured the demon, Misty Meira as you ordered us to do," said the servants with great respect towards their Fighting God, Toushin Homura Taishi.  
Sitting on the throne, Homura watched the blue-skinned demon with a great interest. His mouthed curved in amusement. He looked at the demon from the bottom to the top. Beautiful long legs, curved body shape, silky straight hair and a lovely face.  
"She seems like the perfect candidate for your plan, Homura," Zeon commented as he puffed out cigarettes smokes from his mouth and nostrils.  
"Capable of clouding peoples' minds and seducing them, that's why she was named as Misty Meira. She's the one we're looking for, Homura," added Shien that was standing right beside Homura.  
"Who the hell are you?" Meira hated when she was handcuffed and captured. She hated being helpless. She never felt fear in her life but now for the first time in history, she felt it when she was brought to a dark tower and standing helplessly in front of three dangerously-seemed men. She knew that these men are gods from the chakra on their foreheads. "From now on, you will be our servants and serves us. You will help us fight against the Sanzo-ikkou," ordered Homura. His mismatched eyes meet hers and he could almost feel her uneasiness. He smirked at that. "Go to hell.aagh!" she screamed in pain. Bright white light blinded her vision as Zeon appeared out of nowhere mumbled something that sounds like 'Descend Holy Evil'. Unable to bear the pain, she collapsed on the cold hard floor, unconscious.  
  
Somewhere in the thick green forest:  
  
Four men slept peacefully in their cute little jeep. At least three of them were sleeping soundly. Goku, the youngest one in the group {A/N: actually he's the oldest one, I wonder what's the secret of his youth? ^- ^'} tossed and turned, unable to sleep peacefully. Beads of sweat could be seen on his forehead. Suddenly, he bolted up and tried to catch his breath.  
"It's only a dream," he said to no one in particular except to himself. He looked at the water monster beside him and shifted his gaze to green-eyed man at the front seat. Finally, he rested his eyes on Sanzo and admired the way the moon made him looked more tranquil and angelic.  
He jumped out of the jeep soundlessly and made his way up to the nearby river. He sat at the riverbank and watched his own reflection at the surface of the stream. Slowly, he closed his tired eyes. He can't help but to think about his previous dream. He kept dreaming about the same dream third times in a row. He knew that it tried to tell me about something. Maybe it tried to warn me about something that is going to happen in the future.  
  
In the dream, Goku was running along a dark path when he suddenly realized that he had lost his way. He began to search for his companions. At first, he found Gojyo and called him but Gojyo suddenly vanished without a trace. It seemed like he had been swallowed by thick blue fog. Then he met Hakkai. He did not hear him and he too vanished and covered by the blue mist. He felt fear began to creep its way to his heart. Suddenly, he remembered about Sanzo and prayed that he is fine. After searching for a moment that seemed like eternity, he finally found Sanzo. However, the sight that greeted him feared him more. He saw Sanzo being tied by lots and lots of chains and his body was bruised and bloody. An apparition appeared before him. He stepped back. The blue silhouette began to form a body of a sexy female. The woman smiled evilly at him and ran her slender fingers along Sanzo's lithe body. Then, she hugged Sanzo's waist tightly and disappeared from his eyes. He woke up.  
  
Goku was so absorbed in his thoughts that he did not realize Sanzo was sitting right next to him. He then opened his eyes and was surprised to see Sanzo's reflection.  
"What are you doing here, Sanzo?" his voice was shaky and uncertain. Why do I always lose my cool when I'm with you, he thought silently.  
"Why can't I? Why can't I sit beside you, saru?" Sanzo gazed at Goku with his enigmatic lavender eyes. His voice was so sexy and cool. Goku could feel his cheeks warming up.  
"Saru, you better go back to sleep. It's nearly dawn," with that, Sanzo stand up and went back to the jeep.  
"Sanzo.matte," called Goku.  
"What is it, saru?" Sanzo turned back and asked him.  
"Iya.nandemonai," he shook his head and followed Sanzo back to their companions. No, I can't tell him about the dream. It is something I have to face it on my own, he whispered quietly to his heart. 


	2. shattered love

**Going Under.**

Disclaimer: If anybody tells you that I own Saiyuki, do not trust him or her because it actually belongs to Minekura-sensei.

            Meira stood in front of the fire and raised her hands high. She closed her eyes and the chakra on her forehead shone with a blue light. She felt herself stronger after Homura had made her his subordinate. She focused all of her power to cast this spell:

I call thee, Sanzo, my beloved one,

To love me more than anyone

To forget your soul mate and your only one

As I circle the fire above and below

I inflame thy heart and mind and soul

Writhe in agony, call out in pain

Until thy heart is mine again

Until thy heart is mine again.

            She opened her icy blue eyes and smiled evilly. _Genjo Sanzo will be mine, _she thought silently and disappeared.

            Another day had passed. Goku's and Gojyo's usual bickering were like an opening theme song of the day. Hakkai drove happily and a small smile plastered on his handsome face. A young monk sat beside him and he could see that the blond's forehead was twitching in irritation.

            "That's what the last dumpling," Goku shouted at the red hair and balled his fist, ready to fight.

            "Sorry saru, but you're a little bit late. Founders keepers, they said," Gojyo smirked in satisfaction and teased him.

            They continued to fight and made the jeep a little bit unstable. Hakuryu squealed but both of them refused to pay attention. However, a mighty fan that hit both of their heads had successfully stopped their fight. 

            "Ikagenishiro!" yelled Sanzo and the two hugged each other, afraid that they might lose their precious lives when they saw Sanzo pull out his Smith & Wesson.

            "If I here one word from one of you again, I kill you," he said with his eerily calm voice. 

Goku and Gojyo nodded their head in fear. Feeling satisfied, Sanzo turned around and got back to his front seat. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept him and left him with a strange feeling. _Somebody's calling me. Who is it? It's not Goku, for sure. Whose voice is this? Why do I feel like I longed to hear this voice? Who is she? _Sanzo could not answer all the questions in his head. But one thing is for sure; he needed to find the one that has been calling him. 

 

A/N: Sorry this is rather short and I left you with a cliffhanger. But thank you very much for Namassuki for reviewing my story. I really appreciate that (gives a lorry of Saiyuki's goodies). Comments and flames are welcome. 


	3. the nightmare begin

**Going Under.**

Disclaimer: No matter how much I love Saiyuki, it will never ever be mine. Never.  

A/N: To Namassuki, Saiyuki G.H.G.S , Attiqah Gensui, Mirai Aria and Hanae da Firefly, thank you very much for reviewing my story (gives them a load of Saiyuki merchandises). I really appreciate you supports (bow).   

At the Konran Tower:

            "Misty Meira is a strong opponent. She weakens the opponents by using spells to bind the mind. Do you think the Sanzo-ikkou will be under her spell? Their mind are hard to be penetrated," asked Zeon who was busy cleaning his 'Evil-Deity's Gun'.

            "We will see, we will see," with that Homura leave Zeon and Shien and went back to his throne. There was a smile on his handsome face. More like a smirk. _Goku, you are the only who can understands the unseen. Only you can save the others._

Those who here my plea,

See nothing hear nothing but me,

In your mind, think of me,

In everything you do, you'll remember only me,

Those who hear my plea,

As I bleed for you only,

Be mine you shall be.

            As soon as Meira sliced her wrist and let her blue-coloured blood dropped to the fire, the whole forest was shrouded by thick blue fog. She smirked and clapped her hand. A bunch of demons emerged in front of her. _It's time to meet the Sanzo-ikkou, _she thought in amusement.

            "What's wrong with this forest?" Gojyo complained as Hakkai drove the green little jeep along the path.

            "I wish I knew, Gojyo. Just stay alert. I don't think this is a good sign," replied Hakkai without losing the smile that had never leave his face.

            "Ch," was the only answer from Sanzo.

 He disliked trouble. It made him feel like hitting somebody with his fan. Usually, the saru and the ero kappa will get it from him. Speaking of saru, he glanced at the side mirror. The saru seemed to be sleeping. His athletic body curled like a ball. Only Goku could sleep peacefully even in times of great danger.

_It's the blue mist. It's the blue mist. Will my nightmares going to become reality? No, I don't want to lose my friends. I won't let anyone harm them. Even if it cost my life, _Goku's mind raced with thousands of possibilities and questions. He shut his eyes hard and cold sweat broke on his forehead.

"Oi, saru, what's wrong? Gojyo pushed Goku's head lightly.

"Goku, are you sick?" asked the green-eyed man. A tone of concern could be detected in his calm voice.

Goku shook his head and told them that he was fine. Sanzo watched him carefully using the side mirror. Goku looked anywhere but Sanzo's eyes because he knew that Sanzo could read his thoughts. Suddenly, his nose smelled something. He smelled a demon somewhere in this place.

"I smelled a demon. Hakkai, turn left," said Goku. His voice was serious. Somethingiswrong; he could felt it in his heart.

Hakkai steered the jeep carefully, avoiding all holes and lumps. "Is this the place, Goku?"

"Yes," he replied shortly. "But it's gone." He looked around and searched for any trace of the demon. _Strange, I swear I smelled it here._

"Are you sure, saru? All I can see is this blue fog," Gojyo was starting to get annoyed. 

"You wasted our time, saru," mumbled Sanzo. Goku felt ache in his heart. He had disappointed him. He wasted Sanzo's precious time.

As they were about to get into the jeep, a woman's scream pierced their ears. They rushed towards the voice and saw twenty ugly demons surrounding a lovely woman. Two of them were holding her hands very tightly. She struggled and struggled.

"Okay, 5 each," said Gojyo.

"5 only? No way, I want more," teased Goku and ran quickly to save the damsel in distress.

"They are way too easy," yelled Goku as he blocked of the demons attack. Then, he plunged his Nyoibou towards the not-so-pretty demon's chest. It became a pile of dust.

"Yeah, this is boring," replied Gojyo. Casually, he sliced four demons with the sharp crescent-shaped blade at the end of his shakujou.

"Where's Sanzo?" Goku's eyes traveled wildly to search for his sun. 

Then, he saw him. He was crouching on the ground. After Hakkai had killed one last demon, they rushed towards Sanzo. Sanzo was holding the mysterious woman in his arms.

"You saved me. Thank you," she said to Sanzo. Then, the unknown woman closed her eyes and went limp.

Hakkai examined her to find any injuries and found none. They decided to bring her to the nearest town as the sun will set soon.

"Gojyo, go sit in front," ordered Sanzo who carried the woman into the jeep.

"Mmm, since when did our Sanzo-sama has a soft spot for women?" Gojyo quickly stopped his insults when he felt the tip of Sanzo's gun at the back of his head. 

"What a peaceful day," a usual dialogue from Hakkai every time a disaster happened.

Goku was speechless. He was speechless when he saw the woman's eyes. They were cold. Icy cold. Piercing blue eyes. He remembered about the nightmare and the blue mist.

He also recalled about the demon's scent that had suddenly disappeared when he heard her screaming for help. _Was it just a coincidence? _ he did not know what to answer. Only one thing was for sure, he was feeling uncomfortable. He could feel something bad is going to happen.

A/N: Yeah! I had finished writing chapter 3! All comments and flames are accepted!


	4. Broken Hearts, Shredded Dreams

**GOING UNDER.**

DISCLAIMER: Oh, gosh! I nearly forgot to put disclaimer. So, here goes, I do not own Saiyuki. I just own Misty Meira @ Meira.

A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed my story (give them a load of Saiyuki posters) 

It's over and done

But the heartache lives on inside

And who is the one you're clinging instead of me tonight

And where are you now 

Now that I need you 

Tears on my pillow wherever you go

Cry me a river that leads to your ocean

You never see me fall apart…

~ Emotion by Destiny's Childs ~

            _The voice is gone; she did not call me anymore, _whispered Sanzo as he gazed out of the window, watching the town's people passing by. _There's so much I wanted to ask you, _he turned around and sit on the edge of the bed, _like what is your name, where are you from, why you were alone in the forest, _he touched to woman's lovely face with the tip of his index finger and admired her complexion, _but what's more important is why did you call me?_

Slowly, the woman fluttered open her mysterious blue eyes, "Where am I?"

            "You're safe here. We're in a town not far from the forest we met you," replied Sanzo while lighted his cigarette.

            "You saved me. Arigato," she thanked him politely.

            "What's your name?" he watched the woman tried to sit up straight. He helped her.

            "Meira," she said shortly.

            "Meira only?" asked Sanzo.

            "I'm an orphan. I don't know my surname," her expression changed from grateful to deeply sad.

Her blue eyes began to fill with tears. Suddenly, he felt aches in his heart to see her like that. He wanted to reach her and console her. He wanted to hug her and tell her that everything is going to be fine. He wanted to kiss her pain away. 

_Why do I feel this way? _He began to question himself. Then, he forgot about all the questions that needed her answer as their eyes met. Lavender met ocean blue. 

They began to feel that their bodies were aching for each other's touch. Their faces were now an inch apart. Hearts began to beat wildly. 

_I never feel this way before, _Sanzo's right hand lifted up Meira's face and his left hand was at the back of her head. Meira clasped her hands around Sanzo's waist tightly. And then they kissed passionately, blowing each other's mind. _Am I in love? _Sanzo asked himself once again. _She is so intoxicating, _Sanzo deepened his kiss a little bit and Meira obliged. She let Sanzo's tongue traveled her sweet cave and both of them fell on the bed gracefully.

_No, this is not happening, _Goku backed away from the door. He tried very hard to hold the tears from trickling down his cheeks. He stormed out of the motel and ran aimlessly along the path. He ignored all the people who looked at him in bewilderment. Finally, he stopped running. He sat under a shady tree and stared at the scenery in front of him. Apparently, his legs had brought him to the most beautiful lake he had ever seen.

The moon shone brightly and stars seemed winked at him. He stared at his own reflection and smiled sadly. _Running away, is that all you can do?_  He scolded himself for being so weak. He hated to run away when he could not handle something. _Or someone._

Sanzo had skipped dinner that night. He said he wanted to accompany the woman. Then, Gojyo and Hakkai had gone to bed _very early._ Nothing much to do, he went to his own single room and tried to get some sleep. He thought about sanzo's weird behaviour. First, he seemed to be attracted to Meira. Then, he asked for three rooms, one for Hakkai and Gojyo, one for Goku and one for _Sanzo and Meira._ _That's weird, more like paranormal, _he thought.

It was not just about Sanzo that had been bothering him, Meira too. _Why did a woman wandered around in the forest alone? Why are there no injuries whereas she had been attacked by twenty demons? _ He knew that he should not accused people bluntly, but there was something evil about her. He also had learned to trust his instinct and his instinct is telling him to be careful. He still remembered the incident where he had put his trust on the two little monks and ate the Ninjikan seeds. The trust that nearly put his own life in danger. It was a painful lesson by Sanzo. Now, he only trusted himself and his companions. Feeling that he should tell someone about his thoughts, he went to Hakkai's and Gojyo's room. 

"Hakkai, can I talk to you?" Goku went in without even knocking.

Hakkai's cheek was flushed red and so was Gojyo. Goku had caught them in the most embarrassing situation. Gojyo was half naked and was straddling Hakkai! There was an awkward silence. Then, Goku mumbled a quick apology and closed the door to their relief.

"Goku, matte," Hakkai tried to push Gojyo away but the red hair pinned him down. 

"Leave him, beautiful. He can talk to you later," Gojyo began to plant butterfly kisses on Hakkai's neck.

"But he seemed very serious and that's definitely not Goku's style."

"Maybe he just wanted midnight snacks or something involving _food_. Besides what could be more important than this," with that he leaned forward and gave Hakkai a French kiss.

"Guess I have to tell Sanzo," muttered Goku to himself and went to Sanzo's room.

The door was slightly ajar. He peeked inside and he saw Sanzo was talking to someone. _Meira is awake. Maybe I should tell him letter to avoid any suspicions from Meira._ Then, he turned around to go back to his room. Suddenly, he heard a faint cry. _Someone_ _was_ _crying_, he stopped dead in his track and turned back slowly. What greeted him was more that he could take. He saw Sanzo and Meira kissing each other affectionately. 

_Wait the second; did Meira just smiled evilly at me? Did she saw me just now? Was I imagining things?_ He did not bother to answer all those question. He just feels that he needed to disappear now. He needed to run fast. And so he ran away.

And here I am, sitting under a tree and pitying myself, he groaned silently. The tears would not stop no matter how many times he told himself not to cry. They fell silently on his cheeks. I am a fighter, and fighters never cry!  He closed his tired eyes and rested his head against the huge tree. 

At the Konran Tower:

            "It looks like she had succeeded in her plan A," commented Zeon. A cigarette dangled loosely at the corner of his mouth.

            "Aa," replied Shien.

            "It's time for me to pay a visit to Son Goku," Toushin Homura Taishi announced to his faithful subordinates. _You're mine, Son Goku._

Somewhere over the rainbow a.k.a Heaven:

            "Kanzeon Bosatsu, it looks like their fate is changing," said Jiroushin. 

            "Baka, if destiny can be changed, it wouldn't be called as destiny," replied Kanzeon Bosatsu coolly. _Homura, do you really think you can alter the destiny? If fate can be altered, those two will never be united on the first place. Now, after 500 hundred years, fate brought them back. And their bond is stronger than ever. Witness it, Homura. Witness it. That's what a god supposed to do._

            Goku realized that he was not alone. He snapped his eyes open and sharpen his senses. Then, he saw bright orange like coming from the sky. Then, it formed a shape of a man with fiery fire surrounding him. His feet barely touched the surface of the lake. He glided gracefully towards Goku. Goku is now up and readied with his fighting stance. He recognized the man. He recognized him so well. _Homura!_

A/N: Again, I left you with a cliffhanger and forgive me I there is any grammar mistake. And sorry for the late update. I was trying to make it longer. All comments and flames are welcomed.

         


	5. who am i to you?

Going Under

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Saiyuki. I just own Misty Meira @ Meira.

A/N: Thank you very much for those who had reviewed my story. You guys are 

           great. Thank you so much! Please R&R. All comments and flames are well 

           accepted.

~ The greatest pain than death is to lose someone you love to another person who does not care at all~

            _I shouldn't be doing this, _Sanzo thought silently. He knew that he had longed for those luscious lips of hers but deep down in his heart, he felt a strange feeling began to creep. The kisses were great but they lacked of passion, chemistry, trust and the most important thing in a kiss; love. But he kept falling for those mysterious ocean blue eyes, hot lips, the lovely porcelain face, the nicely shaped body and her sweet scent. He could not resist her.

            _He is falling for me, _Meira smiled slyly as she played with Sanzo's golden locks playfully. His face had softened and there was no trace of scowl and frown. _Is that a hesitation expression, _Meira studied his beautiful feature secretly. _The spell should work. He should have been in love with me now. But why did he hesitate, _Meira's smile had been lowered down one or two watts. _Must have been that boy. Goku, you're in my way!_

            "Homura, what are you doing here?" asked Goku through clenched teeth. He readied to withdraw his Nyoibou.

            "Relax, Son Goku. I'm not here to fight," he answered calmly as he descended to the ground. The fire that had surrounded him just now had disappeared in a blink of eyes, "I'm here to check on you."

            "I'm fine. I don't need you to check on me," replied Goku.

            "Oh, really?" he came closer to him and Goku felt himself retreated back against the tree. _Damn it, he cursed silently._

            Homura placed his left hand against the tree and another hand was trailing Goku's innocent face. Suddenly, Goku felt his body numbed. He could move neither his hands nor his legs. Homura had pressed his athletic body against his. His eyes were mesmerized with his mismatched eyes. His mind was frantically searching for alternatives.

            "What did you do to me?" he spat angrily. He tried to lift up his right leg, hoping to give a deadly kick to Homura. It failed.

            "Nothing, I just want to have _fun _with you for a little while," he smirked evilly as he saw terror flashed in Goku's beautiful golden orbs. _You can never run away, Son Goku. Never._

            Sanzo pushed Meira away softly as she leaned forward to kiss Sanzo again. He got out of the bed and lit a cigarette. Slowly, he walked towards the window and puffed out grey smokes. Suddenly, he wondered about Goku. _He must be sleeping right now, _mused Sanzo.

            Hugging Sanzo from behind, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his skin, "What's wrong? Did I do something that made you mad?" She knew that Sanzo was thinking about Goku right now. She could see that in his enigmatic amethyst eyes. _Damn you, Son Goku. I'll make you'll pay for this!_

            "No, it's nothing, really," he assured her as he turned around to face her. He touched the side of her face lovingly and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "You should get some sleep now. We're leaving early tomorrow."

            He switched off the light and slept beside her. Her arms encircled his waist and she rested her chin on his chest. Then, they drifted to sleep peacefully without knowing that someone out there might need their help especially Sanzo's. Someone named Son Goku.

            "Is that tears in your lovely golden eyes? Are you scared of something or someone?" he drawled sexily, touching his rosy cheeks. 

            "No, I don't cry and I'm not scared of anyone or anything," he answered solemnly.

            "Oh, really?" he played with his thick russet hair fondly. "Then why are you running away? Are you afraid to confront the reality that Konzen did not love you anymore? Or has he ever loved you at all?"

            He shook his head. He knew that Homura was trying to mess with his feeling. He tried to believe that Sanzo has a place for him in his heart thought he seemed so cold. He told himself that there was nothing between Sanzo and Meira. He really tried to believe that. But he did saw the painful truth with his own eyes. He could not keep lying to himself. 

            "Why are you letting yourself to be tortured and tormented by them? You are special, Son Goku. More special than you ever thought," his breath tickled his left ear. They were so close right now.

            "Don't talk to me like you understand everything about me," he hissed dangerously. He still was trying to move his body.

            "I knew everything about you, Goku. Who you really are, your past, your feelings, I knew everything about you. So, why don't you come to me? I can heal those unseen wounds," he touched Goku's chest, "and I won't hurt you just like Konzen did."

            "I can take care of myself," his voice was uncertain and wavering.

            "Don't resist me, Goku. I know deep down in your heart that you need someone who really loves you; someone who will never ever hurt or lie to you like Sanzo did. Come to me. We can make our dream come true. We can build a new world together. A world without taboo, hatred and restriction," then he held up his hand, "a world without chains." 

            Then, he leaned forward and brushed his lips against Goku's. He shut his eyes, not knowing what to do. Deep down in his heart, he wanted to believe in Homura and took his hands and vanished. But another part of him still believed that somehow Sanzo still loves him. He really did not what to do and who to believe in. _The fighting god or the saviour, his saviour, _he thought.

            Suddenly, he felt Homura's lips on his. He tried to protest but that gave a chance to Homura to explore his mouth. Then, he felt white-hot pain surged through his veins. He saw someone in his mind. _Am I having a vision?_

            In the vision, he saw Homura standing beside someone he could not remember. He felt as if he had been to the place before and knew this lovely girl too. She was a goddess. He knew it from the chakra on her forehead just like Homura's. The girl was picking up beautiful flowers. Then, she sat beside Homura. Her head rested on his broad shoulder. Homura had called her Rinrei. Homura's eyes were soft and he could feel strong positive emotions from him. They were love, trust and passion and there was something else too, a will to live. He could see that Rinrei was very happy and her smile was one of those who were in love. Finally, he realized that both of them were couple and they were deeply in love. Suddenly, Rinrei was taken away forcefully from Homura and the vision ended.

            He was back in the present time. But something felt strange. He was glowing! Homura was still kissing him. "Rinrei," Homura stopped kissing. He took a step back, "have you forgotten about Rinrei already?" he asked him.

            "You remembered Rinrei?" Homura asked tentatively. He stared intently at him. He was deep in thought. This is Seiten Taise Son Goku, The Great Sage Equal To Heaven.

            "That doesn't matter. What matter's now that I know you were in love with her," Goku tried to lose the invisible ropes that bounded him.

            "No one can ever forgets his first love," he answered him softly. Finally, Goku succeeded in unfastened the ropes. He stretched himself.

            Goku inched closer to Homura and placed his palms on Homura's chest or precisely his heart, "Is she still in here?"

            His penetrating eyes softened a bit. He could almost saw guilt and regret in them. The lust is now gone, "Is she still in your heart?"

            "You don't have to answer me. I could see it in your eyes. You have never forgot her all of your life. I guess absence does make the heart grows fonder," Goku smiled softly. He actually felt sad about what had happened to Homura and Rinrei.

            "Though she' gone, she is still here with you. Safely tucked in your heart where no one can harm her or take her way from you," his voice was barely a whisper.

            "There's only one place in your heart and belongs only to Rinrei. No one can replace her, not me, not anyone else. She meant everything to you," he paused," just like Konzen meant everything to me."

            "It's Rinrei who you think about every time you breathed. It's Rinrei who think about before you fall asleep. It is because of Rinrei you committed treason against Tenkai. It's because of Rinrei you're building a new future. You live because of her and die because of her too," Goku stood in front of the lake and watched the moon's reflection. His golden aura glowed brightly and his diadem shone just like a star from a distant sky.

            "Do you believe in Karma, Homura?" the itan asked him quietly, "I believe in it. I believe that even though you and Rinrei were separated in this life, you are going to be united in the next life."

            "I really love Konzen. So, I won't forced him to do something that is not his will," he looked up to Homura and said, "if you love someone you should set them free. If it comes back to you, then it's yours. If not, then you're destined to someone else, someone much better."

            "I understand it now, Son Goku. No, Seiten Taise Son Goku," told Homura.

            "My work is done. I should go now," with that, the golden aura faded slowly and his diadem stop shining. Homura caught Goku before he fell to the ground. He was sleeping soundly.

            Homura orbed back to Goku's room with him in his arms. Then, he put him on his bed. He sat down for a while and watched Goku silently. "You're the only who can see the unseen and understand it very well. Be strong, Son Goku. I'm doing this particularly for you too, for a brighter future. You're the only who can save them." Then he disappeared and left Goku alone…

A/N: Sorry for the late update. Forgive me if there's any grammar mistake or anything. Please review, thank you.


	6. the deadly curse

**GOING UNDER.**

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Saiyuki in the past or in the present or in the future.

A/N: I'm so happy to receive many reviews from all of you! Thank you so 

        much for the constructive critics I received from all of you. I will try my 

        best to sharpen up my grammar. In the mean time, please forgive me 

        if there's any grammar mistake. Enjoy reading!

  
Why should I care  
because you weren't there when I was scared

 I was so alone  
you, you need to listen 

I'm starting to trip,  
I'm losing my grip

 and I'm in this thing alone

~Losing Grip by Avril Lavigne~

Somewhere in Tenkai:

          "Kanzeon Bosatsu, isn't that Seiten Taisei Son Goku!" Jiroushin's eyes were wide in shock, "but his gold diadem is still in its place?"

          Kanzeon Bosatsu nearly laughed out loud to see the expression on Jiroushin's face, "This is getting interesting. Just watch the movie or you'll miss out some exciting parts."

          He sweats dropped as the goddess laughed. _It seems like our little boy has grown up a little bit and he is getting more and more powerful, _she contemplated mutely.

At the Konran Tower:

          "What?! Seiten Taisei had appeared last night?!" the roguish-looking god exclaimed after he heard Toushin Homura Taishi's story about last night.

          "Aa," answered Homura, casually.

          "That means…" Shien glanced at Homura and he nodded slowly.

          "We are nearly reaching our goal," Zeon continued with a lopsided grin on his scarred face.

Back to the old musty motel:

_          I must do something. I don't want that brat to ruin my plans, _her eyes were fierce like those who have a deadly grudge against someone they hate the most. 

          "Meira, we should go now," Sanzo patted on her shoulder lightly. Immediately, she put her best innocent face, a face of a sweet gentle girl.

"Haik," she replied cheerfully and followed Sanzo. _I'll make sure that you'll be mine only, Genjo Sanzo._

The morning sun shone persistently on Goku still-shut eyelids. Annoyed, he rolled on the right side of the bed. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and was surprised to see that he was in his room, " I was supposed to be at the lake, wasn't I?"

"Am I dreaming?" he asked to himself when he recalled about what had happened last night; his encounter with Homura and the invisibles ropes that had bounded him and he did remembered about the sudden pain he felt when Homura gave him a kiss on the lips. However, he forgot everything else that happened after the uninvited kiss.

"Something is terribly wrong," he tried to remember something that is very important to him, "oh no, BREAKFAST!" he rushed to the toilet to wash his face and went downstairs hastily.

"Where are the rest?" Gojyo asked the handsome green-eyed man. He shoved down a delicious-looking chocolate muffin to his mouth.

"That's Sanzo and the girl too," Hakkai gestured to the stairs leading to the rooms upstairs. 

Sanzo took a seat in front of Hakkai and the blue-eyed girl sit in front of Gojyo. Sanzo ordered a cup of black coffee and meat buns while the young girl asked for a cup of tea. 

"How are you feeling now?" Hakkai asked her politely while sipping his cup of steaming white coffee.

"I'm feeling much better, thanks to all of you," she answered him with a sweet smile plastered on her attractive face.

"By the way, I'm Meira," she introduced herself.

"I'm Gojyo, Sha Gojyo and this is Cho Hakkai," he motioned to Hakkai," and that monk beside you, he is namagusa bouzu." Gojyo received a whack on the head from an irritated monk. Meira chuckled softly seeing Gojyo whined because of the vicious attack from Sanzo. 

"So, what are you doing in the woods alone?" Sanzo started to read the newspaper when Hakkai asked her the question.

"I…I was running away," she paused for a while, " I was running away from my stepfather when suddenly the demons appeared out of nowhere," they could see tears started to well in her eyes.

"Why?" Gojyo hated to see a woman cried because it reminded him of his dark past. It reminded him of his own stepmother.

"He…tried…" the tears finally burst out, " he tried to rape me!"

"Bastard," Gojyo sneered.

"You're safe now," Hakkai tried to calm her down and handed her his handkerchief.

"Please, take me with you. I'm scared of being alone," she held his hands, as she pleaded to them.

"But it's dangerous," Hakkai replied with a sad expression. A thin line replaced his usual cheerful smile.

"Please, I can't stay here anymore. It equals to death. He might find me here. I don't want to go back to that house," she sobbed quietly. Her head hanged down. Her long blue fringe covered her eyes.

"I guess we can't just leave her here," Gojyo ate another meat bun.

"Sanzo?" Hakkai looked at Sanzo.

"Ch," a very short reply from Sanzo.

"That means yes," Gojyo gave her a charming smile that could make all the girls in the inn's restaurant passed out. 

"Thank you very much," she thanked them. _Gotcha!_

"Where's that saru?" Gojyo complained.

"Saru? You have a pet monkey?" Meira's eyes were full with curiosity.

"No, he's our companion," Hakkai smiled at her warmly, "and there he is."

Their eyes darted to where Hakkai had pointed. They saw a boy with wild chocolate hair and ominous golden eyes practically leapt from the top of the stairs and landed gracefully on the ground. 

"You're right. He is a _saru,_" she put on her fake smile. 

"Good morning, people," he greeted cheerfully. Suddenly, he felt really cold as if it was winter. He looked beside him. Meira was watching him with a fatal stare that had made him feel uneasy. Her blue eyes were strangely dull and cold. Then, he remembered about last night's incident. He stopped smiling.

"Here, you can take my seat," Meira quickly wore a friendly smile and offered him her seat.

"No need, Meira. Goku is a big boy, he can find his own seat," Sanzo said nonchalantly. Meira sat back and he swore he could saw her mouth curved into a satisfied smile.

He walked slowly to the nearest seat available, the one at the far corner of the crowded restaurant. He sat down alone. Gojyo, Hakkai and Meira seemed to have a lively chat together. Sanzo was immersed in reading the newspaper. _She seems to get along really well with the others, _he mused, _everyone except ME._ No matter how hard he tried, he could not shake off the feeling that this girl is dangerous. He must warn his companion. He must warn Sanzo. _But will they ever listen to me? Will they ever trust me?_

They were back on the road again. The sky was streaked with red, orange and gold and a little bit of dark blue. It was nearly twilight.

"Hakkai, are we there yet?" the red hair kappa asked the brunette. 

"We will reach the town in two days," replied Hakkai. A small smile was on his handsome face.

"What?!" he exclaimed, "I'll be dead before we even reach the place." Then, drew out his last cigarette and lit it up.

"Harahetta! Sanzo, I want food," instead of answering him, Sanzo took out his infamous fan and in a blink of an eye, there was a lump on Goku's head.

"Urusai," Sanzo yelled at him.

"Itai," complained Goku. He shot a glance to Meira. _Why is she smiling like that? _Meira was smiling wickedly at him. _Did she hold a grudge against me? _

"I think we better camp here," Hakkai pressed the brake pedal and the jeep stopped. They jumped out of the car and the jeep changed back into a cute dragon, Hakuryuu.

"I'll be looking for fire woods," Goku told Hakkai and went to search for logs.

"Can I come with you?" Meira asked him politely.

He hesitated at first, and then he said," Okay." So, they went deeper into the forest to search for logs while Gojyo helped Hakkai to set up the tent. As for Sanzo, he was just busy smoking. 

_I have a perfect spell for you, Son Goku. And I need your blood to cast the spell, _Meira thought evilly. 

"Goku, can you come here for a while," she called him, "I've got too much woods in my hands, can you please take this one for me?" she pointed to a particular log on the green grass.

"Sure," he came over and bent down to pick up the log. Then, he felt a sharp pain at the tip of his index finger. He looked at it and saw red blood trailing down his hand. It seemed like a thorn had pierced his finger.

"Are you okay?" quickly, she took out a white handkerchief to wipe off his blood.

"I'm fine, don't worry," he got up and collected all the fire woods, "sorry to stain your hankie. Let me clean it for you."

"Oh, don't bother. It's nothing, really. I think we should get back to camp now," she flashed her charming smile and followed Goku back to the camp. _Prepare to die, Son Goku._

After dinner, they all went to sleep except for a certain azure-eyed girl. Meira took out an orange pouch and poured the content on top of her palm. It was a glittery dust, a sleeping powder. She blew it three times. Then, she poured the rest of the silver powder into the blazing fire.

_Sleep tight, my friends, _she laughed quietly and stood tall in front of the campfire. She raised her hands high above her and faced the full moon.

Fire, fire burning bright

Burn him, hurt him with your light

One night, two nights, three nights hell

Make him quiver, cry and quell

Back luck come and rue his day

Let it fester and have its say

With this fire burning bright

Bring him bad luck with its might!

She threw the bloody handkerchief into the fire and it exploded. The spell was used to make the enemies writhe and suffer for three nights and three days. She could not wait to watch Goku suffered. _So long, Goku._

A/N: Hope you like it! Happy Holiday!

      


	7. the first night of hell!

GOING UNDER.

Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki…

A/N: Sorry for the late update because I was really busy with my driving lessons and I'm at my grandma's house during the day (I wish I have a laptop)…I am so sorry. Thank you very much for those who reviewed my story. Your reviews had brightened up my day.

This Romeo is bleeding  
but you can't see his blood  
it's nothing but some feelings  
that this old dog kicked up

It's been raining since you left me  
now I'm drowning in the flood  
you see, I've always been a fighter  
but without you I give up

~Always by Jon Bon Jovi~

          Goku woke up suddenly and looked around. He felt like someone had been watching him sleeping. He saw no one but only his companions and Meira. _Which was still sleeping peacefully beside Sanzo._ He then tried to recall his dream, something about fire and curses and a demon with piercing navy eyes. He could not remember the rest of the dream. But one thing he knew for sure, it meant something bad is going to happen to him.

          Trying to shake off the dream, he decided to refresh his face and perhaps he could catch some fish today for breakfast. He walked quietly to the nearby stream and splashed his face with cold waters. Then, he felt it. Someone was behind him.

Not just one person, but ten to twenty ugly and sticky demons.

          "Is it time for my morning exercise already?" he grinned cheekily. He called up his Nyoibou and get ready in his battle stance.

          Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain all over his body. He could not even move his body. He coughed noisily and crimson blood spewed out and stained his hands and white shirt. His head was spinning wildly and he could not feel his feet on the ground. He could only hear sinister laughter coming from those hideous demons. He tried to focus but that made hurt him even more.

          Sharp claws tore his shirt and scratched his skin. He groaned agonizingly. His head fell back and his eyes went blank. He dropped to the ground clumsily and his Nyoibou disappeared from his grasp. _What's happening to me? Why couldn't I fight back? I could even fight a bunch of demon? Why? _He forced himself to stand up but the pain was even more excruciating. More blood spattered on the ground.

          He just lie down vulnerably and let the demons harmed him. He could not fight back and tears of failure rolled down his cheeks. The pain was horrendous. He could even breathe properly. His white shirt was now bloody and torn. His pants were ragged and tattered. His pride was shattered! He closed his eyes slowly and wished that this had never happened. He wished Sanzo were here, right beside him. He could only wish… 

          "Where's that stupid monkey?!" Gojyo grumbled out loud.

          "Goku, where are you?" Hakkai called the young itan but he received no answers.

          "Goku!" Meira called out his name but to no avail. _I hope you survive the attack or else it wouldn't be fun, Son Goku. _Assured that no one was looking, she grinned evilly.

          Sanzo hung his head low and mumbled something inaudible but Hakkai knew that it was not something positive. He knew Sanzo very well but not as well as his pet, Son Goku. They have been together for a very long time. Hakkai was startled from his reverie when he heard Gojyo's voice.

          "Over here!" they hurried towards Gojyo who supported Goku's bleeding head in his hands. He lay on the ground motionlessly. The young boy was soaked in blood and had bruises and scratch marks all over his athletic body.

          Immediately, Hakkai used his chi power to heal Goku. His hands glowed in bright yellow for a moment but nothing happened. He tried again, focusing all his energy to Goku but his wounds would not seem to heal. "We have to get him to the nearest town. I could not heal them." His did not smile like he always did.

          "What do you mean you can heal him?" Gojyo asked worriedly. He carried Goku in his arms and went to the jeep.

          "I don't know. My healing power seemed to lost it effects on the wounds," Hakkai started the engine, "it's like the wounds refused to heal." 

He drove the car as fast as he could. He glanced at Sanzo. The monk looked like nothing had happened. _Typical Sanzo._ Then, he looked at Gojyo through his rearview mirror. He was looking at Goku with his red sad eyes. Though Gojyo always picked a fight with Goku, he was actually cared about Goku like his own little brother. Hakkai smiled a little. 

He shot a glance at Meira and saw her looking at Goku intensely. Her blue eyes sparkled like a shining star. _Was she smiling? _He blinked for a second. Then, he looked at Meira once more. She looked sad and there was sympathy in her beautiful azure orbs. _My eyes must have been playing trick on me._

We'll see how you get through the pains I've installed for you. This is your first night of hell. I really hope you will survive because there will be more pains designed especially for you. Just for you. Meira quickly hid her wicked smile when she noticed that Hakkai was watching her. She wore her sad face while laughing maliciously in her heart. 

On that late evening:

          Goku woke up and found himself in a strange place. There was a cupboard, a chipped mirror, a loveseat, a couple of chair and a wooden table. He finally realized that he was in an inn; a cheap musty inn. He tried to move his arms and legs but knives-stabbing pain shot through all of his body. He looked at himself covered in bandages and someone had changed his clothes while he was unconscious.

          There were footsteps outside his rooms. He heard it carefully. There were two people in the corridor. Suddenly, the door was side opened and entered Hakkai and Gojyo. He felt relieved.

          "You're finally awake. So, how are you feeling now?" Hakkai brought in a tray of foods and set it on the table. 

          Carrying a box of fresh bandages and iodine bottle, he asked Goku, "What had really happened Goku? You freaked us out!"

          Hakkai helped him to sit up straight on the bed. He put a pillow behind Goku's back so that he could rest his bandaged-head. So he told them about what really happened to him this morning.

          "What? Are you saying you could not fight a bunch of lowlife youkais?!" Gojyo was clearly astounded when he heard his story. Son Goku, The Great Sage Equal to Heaven failed to defeat a bunch of demons. That was unbelievable.

          "I was in pain remember," Goku gulped down a glass of cold water to quench his thirst, " in knives-stabbing pain. When I tried to get up and fight, the pain became worst. They took advantage of my defenseless state."

          "Do you know what caused the pain?" Hakkai asked, concerned.

          He shook his head slowly, "No, it came suddenly. I don't know where it came from. But I feel like someone was watching me."

          Silence filled the air. Goku shifted slightly on his not-so-fluffy mattress. Should I tell them about my suspicion? He decided to tell the about her thoughts on Meira.

          "Do you think Meira is telling the truth about his stepfather trying to rape her?" he looked at Hakkai first then to Gojyo to check their expressions.

          "Goku, rape is not something people would joke about. Especially women," Gojyo replied sarcastically.

          "What makes you think she would lie to us?" Hakkai asked him back.

          "First of all, why did the demon scent suddenly disappear when she appeared? You guys should now that my smelling sense could never be wrong. I swear I smelled it there."

          "There's always a first time to everything. Maybe your senses were messed up or something," Gojyo lit up a cigarette and smoke it.

          "Yes, Gojyo is right," Hakkai touched Goku's hand lightly.

          "Okay, didn't you guys feel weird she got no injuries whereas twenty youkais had attacked her," Goku tried again. 

          "Maybe she just got lucky the demon didn't attack her, Goku."

          "Goku, why don't you rest for a while? We'll be in the next room if you need us." Hakkai told him gently. He tucked the blue wool blanket under his chin. 

          "You don't trust me, do you?" a hurt look plastered on his adorable face.

          "Goku, why don't we talk about this later? You still need to rest," Gojyo opened the door and went outside followed by Hakkai.

          "Wait," Hakkai halted, "where's Sanzo?"

          Gojyo and Hakkai exchanged glances. Finally, Hakkai answered him slowly, "He's downstairs at inn's bar with…"

          "With whom?" Goku asked him innocently.

          "With Meira," Gojyo replied to him. Then, the two of them walked out of the door, leaving Goku all alone.

          He remained silent for quite a moment, trying to control the sudden sadness that rushed to his heart. He's with Meira while I'm here in pain? He went out of the bed and stare blindly outside the window. It looked as if the town had organized a festival or a fiesta. He loved festivals. They sold a lot of yummy foods. Talking about food made his empty stomach rumbled and his mouth watered. He wanted to go to the fiesta. I'll ask Sanzo.

          He turned around and nearly collapsed on the floor. Darn, my injuries are pretty bad. Plus, Sanzo is with Meira now. He thought about going straight to bed but at the same time he felt like he should go outside. After a while, he chose to go outside. 

At the bar:

          "I should go and check up on Goku," he said to Meira tenderly. He finished his tall glass of beer and paid the bills. 

          She hold his hand, wanting him to stay with her, "Please don't leave me. I'm scared of being alone." She pleaded him with her mesmerizing blue orbs.

          "I'll just go for a while. I'll come back. I promise," he soothed her smooth long hair. It fell gracefully behind her shoulder.

          "No, please stay with me. I had lost everything. I have no one else in this world except you. If you leave, then I'm left with nothing," she began to sob gently.

She let go of Sanzo's hand and covered her face.

          He watched her slumped shoulders and suddenly the urge to hold her became so strong. He sat back on the stool and hold her hands tightly, "I guess Goku will be fine without me."

          His heartbeats stopped at once. His lungs were screaming for air. It was getting harder to breathe. His legs were wobbly. His heart… his heart was breaking into tiny particles of dust. Sanzo, how can you this to me? Goku was descending the stairs when he saw Sanzo and Meira drinking down a tall glass of beer. A drink that Sanzo had forbade him from drinking or even touching. It was not because of the beer that they had drink that had make him feeling terribly sad, it was because the intimacy that both of them were sharing that caused his eyes to fill with pearls of tears. Hands in hands, they really looked like a happy loving couple. The thought made his heart ached even more. Silently, he walked out the crowded bar and strolled along the busy road. 

A/N: Review and flames are both welcomed!  


	8. the second night oh hell!

GOING UNDER.

A/N: Hello people! ^O^ I'm so glad to hear from you again. Thank you very much to those who kindly reviewed my story (gives 20 boxes of chocolates and hugs and kisses). You guys rock!!! Guess what, I already got a driving license. I'm so damn happy!! ^O^ So that means, I have plenty of time to update my stories because I don't have to go to driving lessons anymore. ^O^ By the way, I can't promise that I would not hurt Goku. -_- Sorry, ne. Enjoy reading!! v(=^o^=)v

You used to captivate me   
By your resonating life   
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind   
Your face it haunts   
My once pleasant dreams   
Your voice it chased away   
All the sanity in me   
  
These wounds won't seem to heal   
This pain is just too real   
There's just too much that time cannot erase

~My Immortal by Evanescence~

          Ominous grey clouds hanged overhead in the darkened sky. The pale moonlight beamed weakly beneath them. _It's going to rain tonight. _However, that did not stop people from going to the festivals. Beautiful colourful lights shone his path. His head hung low. His eyes were filled with tears. _Sanzo hated rain, _he thought silently, _Sanzo hated me. _A gust of cold wind swept him and he shivered underneath his simple clothes. Suddenly, he lost his mood to go to the festival and waved goodbye to all the foods imaginable in his head. He decided to go to some place much quieter than here.

          He looked to the vast sky. The moon was nowhere to be found. No stars to wish upon too. _Means there's no hope left for me. _Quickly, he erased the dark thoughts. _I shouldn't be a pessimistic, that's just not me._ He tried to smile confidently but failed every time he remembered about Sanzo and his intimacy with Meira. _Did she love you like I do, Sanzo?_

          At last, he arrived at the mountain's cliff. It was eerily quiet there. He liked it because he needed some time alone. He walked closer to the edge. Abruptly, he stopped. He saw a silhouette of a person standing at the edge of the cliff with his arms spread wide. _What is he doing here? _The shadow put his arms down and bended his knees. _He's going to jump! _

          "No, don't do it!" he yelled as loud as he could, hoping to stop the person from jumping off the cliff.

          He pretended not to hear the stranger. He was ready to embrace death from the moment he came to this cruel cold world. He closed his eyes and smiled. _Finally, I'm going to die. Goodbye…_ He thought he was flying but then he felt something or someone had hold his shirt tightly. He opened his eyes, annoyed just to see a golden-eyed stranger pulled his shirt strenuously. 

          "Hanging in there, kid," he said to him. Then, he muttered something that sounded like 'Nyoiboo'. A long stick appeared within his grasp. He pointed the strange stick to him and asked him to hold it tightly while he pulled it. 

          "Hey, I'm not a kid. Let me go. Let me die!"  

          "No, I'm not letting go of you. I don't want to see people die in front of me anymore. Not anymore," he saw determination in his beautiful golden orbs that twinkled ever brightly in the dark.

          He held on the stick reluctantly and let himself to be pulled up by the stranger. The weird stick vanished. Both of them sat tiredly on the ground. Silence filled the cold night air. The stranger stood up tall and came close to him. Suddenly, he yanked his blue shirt and face-to-face with the golden-eyed teenager.

          "Are you out of your mind? What the heck are you thinking?" he hollered at him angrily.

          He tried to break free from his clutch but he was too strong, "None of your business!!"

          He let go of him and shook his head, "Others are trying hard to stay alive and you're here ending your life with a silly smile on your face?!"

          "This world is cruel. People hated me. They would never ever accept me. What's the point of living then?" he yelled back at him. Tears brimmed in his big brown eyes.

          Goku felt sorry for the boy. He put his right hand on the boy's right shoulder. He stiffened at first, and then he began to burst into tears and rest his head on Goku's firm chest. Goku asked him softly, "What's your name?"

          He looked up at him and whispered, "Haruka."

          "Hello, Haruka. I'm Goku. By the way, how old are you?"

          They walked to the nearest tree and sat under it, "I'm eleven years old."

          "Why don't you tell me what happened?" Goku asked him carefully, "I can be a very good listener."

          "The villagers hated me. They said I killed my own parents. They said that I brought bad luck to this village. That's why demons have been attacking our village.

All because of me," he buried his face into his chubby hands. His shoulder rocked back and forth, "I did not kill my parents. I loved them with all my heart. I really do."

          All of a sudden, he lifted up his face, "But I knew who killed them. I saw the demon with my own eyes. She slaughtered them in front of me."

          "Can you describe how the demon looked like?" Goku inquired. He

          "Her skin is blue. Her hair is blue, long and straight. She has sharp claws. She used that to tear my parents' hearts out," he sobbed, "I'll never ever going to forget her eyes. They are cold blue eyes. They are pure evils."

          Goku's heart skipped a beat. The demon's description matched the evil demon in his dream. _Was it just a coincidence? No, I don't believe in coincidence. Everything happened for a reason. _

"I tried to explain to them but they just ignored me. They kept accusing me. They called me a murderer. The called me a killer. Children called me all sort of names and threw rocks whenever they saw me on the street. Adults looked at me with disgust. No one believes me."

          "That's why I decided to take my life, so that I can be with my parents," he pointed to the dark sky, "live happily among the stars and the moon."

          "Do you think your parents will be happy to see you?" Goku stood up and edged to the cliff.

          Haruka was quizzical, "What do you mean? Of course, they will. After all, I'm their only son," he followed Goku to the cliff.

          "Do you think your parents will be proud to know that their only son was known as a killer and did nothing to clean his name and decided to take his own life because he thought that was the only thing he could do?" 

          He was speechless. He balled his fist. His knuckles went white, " I told you I am not a murderer."

          "I know but the villager didn't," he looked at Haruka, "as long as you remained silent about it, they will keep assuming that you really are a murderer. You can run but you can hide."

          "I am not running away, " he said through gritted teeth.

          "Suicide is equal to running away. If you're innocent, then why are you running away? If you're not guilty, then why are you trying to commit suicide?"

          "I…I," he stammered, "I just can't take it anymore. I have no one left in this world and they keep torturing me with their words. I just want to get away from this unbearable pain in my heart, " he dropped on his knees on the ground and hugged his chest.

          "Haruka, this will only prove that you really did kill your parents. People will think that you finally decided to kill yourself because you could not stand the guilt of murdering those who loved you. Do you really think by eliminating your existence in this world, they would stop tormenting you?" he put his hand on his shoulders.

          "I don't know. I hope so," he answered solemnly.

          "No, they won't. In fact, they will remember you in their mind as a ruthless child who murdered his own folks.  

          "But they won't listen to me. They refused to hear my explanation, to hear the truth. They ignored me. They treated me like I'm invisible," he sobbed. Goku gazed at him with a sad expression. His heart hurt too. He recalled his life at Mountain Gogyo before Sanzo came into his life. Trapped alone in a caged cave with chains secured his hands and feet, he was punished to live eternally in loneliness. 

_If this was deep underground…_

_I would not wish for the sun_

_If this was deep underground…_

_I would not have to know what loneliness is_

          "Someone I knew said this to me; you can die, at least you can escape but your death will not change anything. But by living, you can change something," he get up and started to walk away, "Those who are determined to live will be the ones that survived in the end. Well, it's your choice. I don't have the right to interfere with your decision."

          Tears slid down onto the ground. Rapidly, all of his childhood memories played in his mind like an old record. He closed his eyes and went back to old times when his parents were still alive by his side. He remembered everything about them; their face, their smiles, their fondness and most of all, he remembered the love they gave to him. Then, all of sudden, he saw his parents died in a gruesome death. They were killed by a blue-skinned female demon. After the demon had left, he ran to both of his parents and held them dearly, saying that the villagers will come to save them and they can live happily again.

          "Stand…stand," her mom coughed out blood, "stand on your own."

          Her father brushed his hair tenderly, "Don't depend on others. Stand up own your own."

          "We'll be watching you from the far away sky. So long, my son," breathed her mom. From that moment, he was an orphan…

          "Wait," he ran after Goku, "I…I," he stood in front of him, "I want to live. I want to live again." _Yes, I want to live for my parents and myself. I'll fight for my own justice. Yes, I want to live again._

          Goku smiled softly, "As long as you have the will to live, no one can stop you from doing so."

          "Now, let's go to the festival to find something to eat," Goku grinned widely. 

          He hesitated at first, then he remembered about his spirit to live and fight for his justice, "Sure, let's go."

          They stride casually, leaving the deadly cliff behind. Suddenly, Goku sensed something was amiss. He told Haruka to stay close with him while he scanned their surrounding with a pair of sharp eyes. There was something lurking behind the bushes and the trees. He was about to say something when he suddenly collapsed on the ground. _The same sharp pain, _he thought painfully. _No, I must stand up. I must protect Haruka._

          "Goku, are you okay?" he exclaimed frantically.

          "Run…run now," Goku replied weakly. His wounds began to open back. He screamed painfully. Blood gushed out from the injuries.

          "No, I will never ever run away again. You told me not to. I won't leave you alone here," he croaked. He looked around them and noticed that they had been encircled by demons. Some bared their sharp teeth to him and some showed their extremely razor-sharp claws.

          "Leave him alone. Take me," Goku got up slowly in spite of the pain that had throbbed all over his body. He called his Nyoibou and readied in his battle stance. 

          Unpredictably, he felt as if someone had stabbed his heart with a pointy object like a needle. Not a needle but thousands of it. He yelped in pain. He coughed out crimson blood. _No, not again, _he thought frantically. 

          "Goku!" he heard Haruka's hysterical squeal. He tried to open his eyes. His visions blurred. He could make out a boy's shape held captive by creatures that had horns and scaly skin. _Oh my god, they got Haruka. I can't let them harm Haruka._

He struggled to stand up once again, "Stop it. Release him. Your opponent is right here."

Twelve out of fifteen demons inched closer to him. He focused all of his energy left and his concentration to fight those disgusting demons. The pain had not subsided yet. It was killing him from the inside. But he had to fight them at all cost. He must protect Haruka. He could not bear the pain of watching someone died in front of him.

One by one demons had became dust but it seemed like they were lots of them, too many for Goku to handle alone especially in his weakened condition. He wondered about his companions. _What are Gojyo and Hakkai doing now? Are they asleep? Do Sanzo and Meira still holding each other hands? _He closed his eyes, trying very hard to focus and ease his mind. 

He breathed in and out calmly but his body was injured severely. His eyelids were very heavy and began to lose his vision. He leaned against his Nyoibou and tried to stand properly. All of sudden, he dropped on his knees and held his head agonizingly. He screamed silently in his heart. The pain was too intense. He looked up to see three monstrous demons came closer to him with Haruka in their captive.

"Let him go," he whispered painfully.

The demons laughed feverishly, showing off a row of yellow teeth and two sharp fangs, "How can we let go of him? He's our toy tonight."

Goku gripped his Nyoibou angrily. He tried to stand up but something or someone was holding him down to the ground. He could only raised his head and watched Haruka's terrified face as one of the demons clawed his chest. Goku yelled at them to stop but the only replied he received was evil cackle. 

They tortured him; scratched and clawed his body, beat him up and kick him without any mercy. Tears covered his face as they tore him apart. Goku was not just watching him being tortured cruelly to death but he felt his pain too. He felt every blow and every punch that Haruka received and it was killing him now. He felt that Haruka could not bear the pain any longer. He was going to give up. He was going to die.

Haruka lay sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood. He stretched his hands towards Goku, "Goku…"

"Don't talk. Save your energy," his heart was breaking into pieces. Tears rolling down his cheeks, "Don't you die, Haruka. Don't you dare."

"But…it's too painful," he cried.

Goku gave everything he had to reach for his hands but he couldn't reach it even though they were only an arm apart, "No, not again. I'm not going to let anyone dies in front of my eyes anymore. I'm not going to watch any more deaths without doing anything to prevent it.

"It's okay, Goku," he cough up red liquids, "I can't hold on any longer. I just wanted you to know that I'm really glad that I met you. You make me want to live again. You make me realize how important it is to fight for oneself. You make me feel alive," he closed his eyes with a smile plastered on his face. The demons came closer to him.

"No, Haruka. Open your eyes. Fight it. You can do it," Goku said frantically. The demons touched his chest and flashed a very evil smile to both of them.

"Goodbye, Goku." 

 In an instant, the demons used their sharp nails to tear open his chest and snatched his still beating heart. Haruka did not scream out loud but Goku swore could hear his shrilling cry in his head and that had made his heart ached. He felt Haruka's pain and for a moment he thought he was going to die too, leaving the world behind, leaving his companion behind and leaving Sanzo behind.

"No!" his scream filled the silent night and echoed through the air. Rain began to poor heavily.

Back at the inn:

          Sanzo's eyes snapped open and he sat on the bed. He thought he had heard someone called his name but he did not know whose voice it was. He looked beside him and saw Meira's lovely face. Meira's eyes fluttered open and she too sat on the bed. 

          "What's wrong? Bad dream?" she rested her head against his bare chest.

          "No, there's nothing actually. Why don't you get back to sleep?" he whispered to her right ear sexily.

          "Okay, darling. But make sure you sleep too," she leaned forward and they kissed passionately. Then, Meira fell back asleep. _Son Goku, did you enjoy your second night of hell? I enjoyed it because I love every single moment of your       torment._

          Sanzo walked to the window and lighted a cigarette. It was raining cats and dogs outside and he hated it. _Who called me just now? I think I knew the voice but I don't remember his name. Who is he?_

At the cliff:

The demons left him alone and he could finally stand up again. It felt like thousands huge rocks were lifted from his back. The pouring rain stung his wounds. He staggered slowly to Haruka's motionless body. He was soaked in blood from head to toe and his chest was torn apart. Bruises and scrapes were all over his small form. He cried and cried; wishing that he would came back to life once more. He took his heart and put it back to its place.

Then, he dug a grave using his Nyoibou to bury Haruka. His tears kept coming out through the whole process. Then, he took Haruka's necklace out and used it to mark his grave. He said to him that the necklace was his parents' birthday gift on his fifth birthday party. The necklace was beautiful, a silver moon-crescent pendant with two small knives at each side of the moon with a black string. He buried Haruka right under the sky since he loved the moon and the stars so much. Goku kneeled down in front of his grave for a moment despite of the rain. He left the place and his last words were "I'm so sorry".

P/s: Sorry for not posting this earlier! Please review and I'll promise if the reviews are more than 20, I'll post the next chapter faster. 

    


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